Matrix 10U White Finishes "No Practice" Season
With a Competitive Run at D-II Nationals

Congratulations to the Matrix 10U White team for an outstanding season and a solid, competitive run at the 2009 10U Division II Nationals in which they finished 17th in the Classic Bracket, after getting bumped from bracket play by the 2nd place finisher in the Classic Bracket and ousted from the 9th place competition with the team that finished in 9th place.

The White team, coached by Jim Butler, was formed late as "Saturday only" team of girls that could not fit a full AAU model into their schedules.

Over the course of the season, the team regularly played 11U teams, played D-I 10U teams, including a victory over the Flames National team (that finished Top 4 at D-II Nationals), all this on a Saturday only schedule.

With the team's success, they decided to take a shot at Nationals, received an invitation and off to Orlando went the team.

In Orlando, two of the team's eight players were under the weather, one of which was unable to go in pool play. With only 7 players in pool play, in what proved to be a tough pool, the White team tied for second, but fell into the Classics bracket based on the tie-breakers. The pool player winner finished 6th in the D-II Championship Bracket.

In the Classics Bracket, the White team got off to a strong start with a 21-12 victory over the E. Tennessee Stars.

The team's second round opponent, the S. Jersey Storm, had three girls over 5-10, two of which were over 200 pounds. Despite falling behind 0-10, the girls battled back, controlling the game the rest of the way, despite the Storm's overwhelming size advantange.

The Matrix narrowed the gap to a one point lead with 10 seconds to go, before falling 31-28. The Storm cruised to two more easy wins and finished 2nd place in the Classic Bracket.

In the competition for 9th place, the Matrix again found a match-up against another huge team with three girls at least 5-8, the Minnesota Lady Monarchs. In another well played game, the Matrix battled through foul trouble the whole way, played strong and competed well, but ultimately fell 33-24 as the Monarchs just got too many easy buckets using their size advantage. After defeating the Matrix, the Monarchs marched on to win the sixteen team 9th place competition.

And so the 10U Matrix White team finished 17th in the Classic Bracket.

As a final point, it should be noted that the team's success was achieved without holding a single practice all season long, part of the arrangement for the Saturday only team.

So congratulations to all the players on the Matrix 10U White team on an excellent season.